Madness in Zexal
by LaZella
Summary: Yuma's been down and been having nightmares since Astral returned to Astral world and Kotori is worried about him but he's being stubborn insisting he's fine. Kotori wants to help him but a trip through the looking glass tosses both of them on a very interesting story and meet an unusual woman named Alice.
1. Through the Looking Glass

First I'll admit that this fic exists because I wanted a good excuse to design new outfits stuff and I was excited for the Alice Otherland shorts to come out next month. So my imagination went wild and….yeah….this happened. So have fun for extreme mental trauma! You can find the domain outfit designs on my tumblr, I'll put a link in my profile.

* * *

The breeze was pleasant, carrying a scent of fresh grass and water. The sun wasn't that bright and was resting at a three o clock position. Overall they were pleasant conditions that Yuma enjoyed when he wanted to nap outside, if it wasn't for the situation he was currently in. Loose dirt in a crater and his head pounding like crazy were dead give always that something happened. He eased himself up into a sitting position brushing the dirt out of his hair.

_What happened?_ He wondered, _The last thing that I remember was that I was at the café with Kotori._

Yuma stood up and took a good look at his surroundings, thoroughly confused with what he saw. Giant dominos were embedded into the ground, butterflies where flying around but seemed to have bodies made of bottles, there was a creek nearby but the origin of it seemed to be a statue of a girl crying.

"Did someone slip something into my drink?" Yuma wondered aloud. That's when he noticed something else was different, his clothes had changed. Gone were his favorite shirt and vest, in their place was a white dress shirt with rather baggy sleeves that were brought together in cuffs. A deep red vest was buttoned over that with black lapels and Yuma found a silver pocket watch in a pocket with a chain hooked to a button but the hands on the clock face were spinning like crazy. The pants were white like his usual but lacked designs and black dress shoes where the place of his sneakers. Thankfully, the Emperor's Key was still in its place around his neck.

"Well, this isn't creepy in the slightest. I wonder if Cathy has something to do with all of this. Kinda suits her too…" Yuma groaned thinking of the possible elaborate pranks that his friends may be playing on him.

"A trick you say, or is it just an excuse to conveniently forget the truth?"

Yuma spun around to face the new voice and took a step back in fright. There was a cat, or at least he hoped it was a cat yet it stood at about his height and looked horribly emaciated though it seemed to not care with that grin on its face that had what Yuma hoped wasn't dried blood on the teeth. Its gold eyes seemed to give him a good look over, "Strangers rarely pass through Wonderland, and its rulers don't take too kindly to trespassers."

"Look, I don't know what your problem is, but I have no idea how I got here….much less anything else that has happened today." Yuma could not believe that he was arguing with a talking cat, but then again consider what he's been through in the past few months, anything was possible.

"Oh really, because the mind has funny ways to forget the terrible things. Have you truly forgotten the circumstances that brought you here?" The cat asked.

"What do you…" Then it all came back to Yuma…

* * *

"_Do we really have to meet here?" Yuma asked._

"_You wanted help with homework but every place you suggested didn't work out." Kotori huffed at him._

"_At least I didn't pick the cheesiest café in town," Yuma glanced around at all the pink and heart decorations, "Didn't they get the memo that Valentine's Day was over? This is a place that I expect Cathy to choose."_

_Kotori pouted upon hearing Cathy's name, "There you go again, mentioning Cathy comparing everything I do to her."_

"_I don't."_

"_You do! You're just being very ungrateful right now!" Kotori was getting mad._

"_Why are you getting so upset!?" Yuma cried out._

"_Well I'm not the one who's been moody for the past few weeks!" Kotori snapped._

"_I am not moody."_

"_Yuma…" Kotori's tone changed to a gentler one, "Don't try to hide it, it's really obvious to all of us. Even Shark and Kaito have noticed. You're missing Astral."_

"_Of course I miss him. He went back to Astral World and hasn't sent a single message."Yuma sighed leaning against the table._

"_I mean more than just missing missing…..you've been down more than usual. You don't eat as much and it's become harder to get you to leave your house to do anything. And don't say you haven't been like this all the time. You've just been doing this a lot more recently."_

_Yuma just started drawing circles with his finger on the table, "I don't know what you are talking about."Truthfully, there was one thing he didn't want her to find out. He had been having nightmares, almost every night now and it was the same thing every single time. He failed, he didn't save Astral, he didn't save any of his friends, and he lost to Don Thousand. It happened every night forcing him awake and couldn't fall back to sleep for hours. Before if he had a nightmare Astral would be there to help him calm down but was on his own now._

_Kotori let a grunt, "Do we really need to do an intervention and get everyone here? Because we will!"_

"_You don't have to baby me!"_

"_We're not babying you! Seriously Yuma, we are all getting concerned."_

_Yuma groaned and leaned back in his chair, "I'm totally fine."_

"_You are just so….." Kotori stood up from her seat looking like she was ready to hit Yuma but paused when she looked at the mirror they were sitting next to, "Did you see that?"_

"_See what?" Yuma stood up and looked in the mirror as well grateful for whatever it was spared him from Kotori's wrath._

"_I could off swear I saw the mirror ripple." Kotori tapped it a few times testing its surface "Must have been my….There it is again!"_

_Kotori was right, the mirror surface was rippling like it was water. But was shocked them most happened next, a red bloodied clawed hand shot out of the mirror grabbing Kotori's arm and pulled her in._

"_KOTORI!" Yuma screamed and grabbed her ankle trying to pull her back but felt the floor give out from underneath him and was pulled in as well._

"_Let go of me!" Kotori was doing her best to bash at the hand but to no avail as it kept its grip. Yuma's grip on the other hand was slipping, "Kotori, grab my hand!"_

_Kotori did her best to reach around and grab Yuma's outstretched hand only for a another claw hand to shoot out of nowhere grabbing Yuma's wrist with near breaking force and yanked him away from Kotori._

_**BEGONE BOY! SHE'S MINE!**_

_A deranged voice echoed out from somewhere as the hand threw him in a direction sending Yuma tumbling to who knows where. All he could see where clocks, furniture, tea sets, toys, then…blackness._

* * *

"Oh no….Kotori!" Yuma started calling out to her, "Kotori! Where are you?!" He turned back to the cat, "Do you know something?!"

The cat just purred, "The queens are restless, regardless of who's in charge. One of them is responsible for your arrival, but which queen? Red or white? That is for you to decide." And right before Yuma's eyes, the cat vanished.

Yuma sighed and looked around, "Hold on Kotori….I'll figure this out." With that, he started to make is way down the path hopefully in the right direction.

* * *

Alice Liddle woke with a start, something happened. Ever since Wonderland fused with reality Alice had chosen to do nothing about it and instead focused on repairing the damage Bumby had caused. The process was slow but Alice was able for feel her control over Wonderland and her mind grow stronger as the years passed. But now…something was wrong. Something foreign was in her Wonderland. She grabbed the Vorpel Blade from her bedside, still sharp as the first day she used it, she wasn't going to have a repeat of what happened with Bumby. This time she was going to kill the weed at its root.


	2. Too Many Hearts and Odd Weapons

Kotori body slammed the door for the fifth time but it refused to yield. She huffed and sat on the bed again, it felt like ages since she woke up in this bizarre room. Well the only thing bizarre was the over abundance of red and hearts for decorations. Other than that, it seemed rather normal. A four poster bed with plenty of sheets and curtains, a dresser with a mirror but the chair for it was destroyed due to Kotori using it in an attempt to smash the window open. Food in the form of tea and cherry tarts had been slipped through the door though a flap but it didn't budge when Kotori tried to open it. For now the food remained untouched on the dresser. She didn't trust her kidnapper to leave her food untampered, whoever they were had already changed her clothes while she was unconscious. She was wearing a dress that reminded her of one that she admired in a Lolita store once. The blouse was red with a large black heart surrounded with white lace on her chest and a large white heart shaped collar was attached to that. A black and gold checkered belt was around her waist that was fashioned into a bow on her back with the tails of the bow reaching the floor. The skirt was made of several tiers of red lace that reached her knees and had a black piece of cloth draped over that went down to the floor with the playing card suits embroidered along the hem. Black gloves and stockings that faded into red lace reached over her elbows and knees, red dress shoes, as well as a small gold crown pinned to her bun completed the look.

Kotori absentmindedly went over to the window again and tried to pry it open. She could tell that she was about three stories up so if she could get the window open, she could tie all the bed sheets together and climb her way down. The only problem was that the window refused to open and the glass wouldn't shatter. All she could do for now is to wait for an opening to make a run for it.

_Though who could possible want with me?_ Kotori wondered shuttering at the memory of the clawed hand that grabbed her and threw Yuma away when he tried to save her. _Not to mention I have no idea where am I. This doesn't look like Barian world…too many hearts for that. I hope Yuma's okay…._She leaned on the window sill staring out at the wasteland she could see. _Don't get into too much trouble Yuma…._

* * *

Yuma was in a spot of trouble. It seemed like a good idea at the time to scale the cliff to get to higher ground to see where he was, then realized that it was a terrible idea to attempt such a feet in dress shoes. The shoes had no grip on the rocks nearly causing to slip and fall several times. So there he was half way up the cliff debating what to do.

"I could just kick the shoes off….but I really don't want to risk going barefoot from here on out."

Yuma decided to resume climbing, he was almost to the top anyway. Then his foot slipped again nearly causing to fall off the cliff face.

"Okay! Maybe not!" Then he saw his fingers slowly slipping off of the rock, "Lucky me…."

He tried to get is foot anchored back on the cliff only to dislodge his other foot sending plummeting towards the ground. Yuma closed his eyes and braced himself for impact, only to feel himself bounce upwards again.

"What the…." Yuma looked down and saw an odd red mushroom where he assumed he landed. Gravity kicked again as he fell back to the ground and as soon as he hit the mushroom, he bounced once again.

"Okay….mushrooms here acts like trampolines…Kind of cool actually." Yuma righted himself to prepare himself for the next bounce and when his feet made contact with the mushroom surface, he launched himself upwards and landed on top of the cliff.

"Now then….let's figure out where were going Astral…" Yuma paused. He was really stupid. Astral wasn't with him this time. He went back home, Yuma was going to have to face whatever this is alone. He felt some tears form in his eyes, "I'm a real idiot."

"Perhaps a lack of sense is a good thing."

Yuma growled, the cat was back, "Are you following me?"

The cat looked around as if looking for someone else, "I follow those who are need of guidance and seeing that you are the only one here that would be a yes."

Yuma rolled his eyes, "Do you make fun of everyone you talk to?"

"Funny, that's something she might say." The cat chuckled.

"Wait, she? Do you mean Kotori?" Yuma was hopeful.

The cat ignored him and instead he looked towards his left, "Wonderland is unkind to both its creator and visitors. Perhaps you should arm yourself." The cat motioned with his paw to a path leading into some trees.

Yuma looked between the cat and the path seriously debating what to do. But seeing that this cat was going to be his only help in this place, he started down the path into the forest. The foliage was dense but did nothing to dim the light. Further down the path the scenery changed a bit, more and more dominos were appearing nearly creating a paved road. Other large than life toys appeared as well, mainly jacks and marbles. Eventually the path ended where Yuma discovered a small table with a box on it and some sort of mallet leaning against it.

"How are these consider weapons?" Yuma picked up the box and opened it, finding playing cards of the face variety with a large red A on the back.

"52 pickup is a staple of juvenile humor, but when the deck slices and dices, it's no laughing matter." The cat said as he appeared on a nearby chair.

Yuma felt his mind going crazy trying to figure out the cat's riddle and instead picked up the mallet to give it a good look over. It was solid wood and the head of the mallet was carved into a bird's head.

"Here's a riddle, when is a croquette mallet like a billy club? I'll tell you, whenever you want it to be."

Yuma shuttered a bit at the cat's description but regardless, he slipped the deck of cards into his pocket and took the croquette mallet with him heading back out of the forest and back to the main path. Thankfully it looked like that the cat wasn't following him. He started to swing the mallet around as he walked watching the forest go by. Eventually the trees cleared a bit giving him a better view of what was around him. The sky seemed too faded off a bit into orange off in the distance as Yuma could make out the silhouette of a factory.

"Maybe someone's over there…." Yuma muttered to himself as he turned to head in that direction.

"Excuse me young man."

Yuma froze at the sound of a woman's voice, "What now?" He wondered out loud as he turned and to his surprise, found a rather large home that seemed twice the size it needed to be. How did he miss that?

"Come on in, I have a bit of a favor to ask." The front door opened, something that Yuma was grateful for due to the fact he couldn't reach the doorknob. He entered the home and smelted something cooking. Wiping his mouth he found the kitchen and saw the strangest looking woman he ever seen. At least he hoped it was a woman. She was twice his height and had over sized features, neck almost swallowed by her head not to mention the ridiculous hat and veil she was wearing and the dress seem to be…squeezing her too tight in places. She grinned as she saw Yuma.

"Such a strong lad I see, though I never thought I would see a lad enter Wonderland."

Yuma just stood jaw dropped, there was really no way to describe what he was seeing. The woman continued, "Can you be such a dear and clear out my back yard of bolterflies? They've been becoming a handful lately and I couldn't be really bothered to do it myself."

"Excuse me….miss? What is that factory in the distance?" Yuma asked once he found his voice.

"Factory? Oh hun, you do not want to go over there. Hatter has gone madder than usual, gone about tearing things up and "fixing" them." The woman scoffed.

"Hatter?" This was making no sense, "I think I have to go over there. I'm looking for a friend."

"Friend? You don't look like a friend of Alice." The woman questioned.

"Alice? No, I'm looking for a girl named Kotori." Yuma corrected her, "We got separated."

The woman seemed to be in thought, "I still wouldn't go there…but if you clear out the bolterflies, I'll give you a short cut to Hatter's factory. Maybe your friend is over there."

Yuma grinned in gratitude, "Thanks, so where are these bolterflies?"

"Right through there, make sure you get rid of the nest too." The woman pointed to a door that opened up. Yuma sprinted as fast as he could through it.

* * *

Alice stormed her way through the Vale of Tears looking for signs of the intruder. So far there was a crater and some footprints but other than that, there was really no evidence of anyone entering Wonderland.

"Curiouser and curiouser," she muttered to herself. Certainly the intruder would have had more of an effect on Wonderland by now.

"Perhaps the weed still needs time to grow, or perhaps it is not a weed at all."

Alice sighed, "Hello Cheshire, where has your mangy hide been recently."

Cheshire kept his grin, "You seek the one who has entered but you have never once considered if he is friend or foe."

"I allowed Bumby in far too easily, I am not going to have a repeat of that mind you." Alice scoffed.

"These years of isolation have done you both good and bad Alice. Things have changed on the other side of the looking glass. Maybe things have changed here as well."

"Never mind cat…" Alice ignored him, she had an intruder to find.


	3. Escapes and Fights

Merry Christmas everyone! And to those who don't, Happy Hanukah, Joyous Kwanzaa, and Spiritually Fulfilling Equinox. I think that covers it.

* * *

Yuma could hear the buzzing of these bolterflies, but no sign of whatever they were. He tightened the grip on the mallet really unsure of what size this pest he was supposed to eliminate. He would have asked the woman for a better description but he had a feeling in his gut not to stay in her kitchen any longer than possible.

"Just where are these things?" Yuma looked around trying to find the source of the buzzing. The woman had mentioned something about a nest so it would be a good idea to find that first. The buzzing was getting louder so he guess that was a good sign, if the high pitched buzz that sounded like it was getting closer was a good sign too.

_Wait what?_

Yuma felt something smack into his back really hard sending him face first into the dirt. Recovering he looked up and saw what hit him, a bolt. An actual large bolt, with fly wings.

"So I guess that's a bolterfly….bolt….fly…." Yuma face palmed, how was he supposed to know the name was to be taken literally.

The bolterfly charged at him again but Yuma dodged by rolling out of the way and swung the mallet but he fly proved to be too fast and flew out of the way.

"Get back here!" Yuma swung several more times trying to hit the darn thing but it kept dodging. Taking a moment to catch his breath he saw two more join the first, "Well this is just peachy….."

The flies were fast and Yuma was getting tired and he was no closer to hitting them, "Hold still!" Yuma swung in vain. The bolterflies seemed to be tired of him as well as all three of them charged at once. Against better judgment, Yuma just threw his arms up in defense.

_Squelch._

Yuma slowly looked up to see what had made the sound. One of the bolterflies was now on the ground, wings twitching with the last of its life, and a playing card embedded into its body, the same cards that Yuma had put into his pocket.

Yuma pulled out the box in wonder, how did the card launch by itself, and were the edges really that sharp? There was no time to ponder this as he saw the remaining two bolterflies charging for him again and without thinking he held up the box in front of him.

Cards shot out like homing missiles chasing the flies that changed their course trying to avoid their fate but the cards hit their mark. The now dead flies hit the ground but there was still the sound of buzzing.

_That's right…there's still a nest to find._ Yuma scanned the tree tops and saw it, a clump of gunk and bolts that was vibrating and buzzing, no doubt that was the nest. Yuma aimed the deck of cards at where it was hanging from the trees and fired. The cards sliced at the branch dropping the nest to the ground allowing Yuma to run up to it and go to town with the croquette mallet leaving it a pile of mush.

"Is that it?" Yuma asked, only to hear more buzzing and spotted two more nests, "Oh joy….."

* * *

"Thank you so much young man."

Yuma ignored the woman, he was covered in cuts and bruises not to mention he felt exhausted.

"Looks like you need a pick me up dearie." The woman waddled over to a cupboard pulling out a bottle filled with red liquid and handed it to him, "Just a spot of this and you'll be bright as day."

Yuma turned over the bottle in his hand before pulling out the stopper and took a sip. Already he felt more energized and saw the small scrapes and bruises on his hand vanish, "Wow…."

"Rose elixir fixes any ailment young man and as for my promise," A door that was the correct size for Yuma opened, "Go through there and take the boat and follow the river. That will take you to Hatter's Domain in half the time. Just be wary of the fish, they like to nip."

"Thank you errr….." Yuma didn't know the woman's name.

"I am just a simple Duchess now run along…" She nudged him with her wooden spoon towards the door.

"Thank you very much Duchess!" Yuma called out as he ran through the door onto a small dock with the aforementioned boat tied to it. Yuma hopped in untying it and used the mallet to push off. Now he was getting somewhere.

* * *

Kotori took a deep breath as she got her plan ready. Using pieces from the destroyed chair, she wedged the food door shut and she stood against the wall next to the door armed with the serving tray from earlier. Hopefully when who ever brought her food would be unable to open the flap, they would open the door to investigate allowing her to knock them out and make a run for it. Now she just had to wait and see if it all worked. Footsteps were approaching as well as scraping of metal, she heard the groaning of someone as the bent down and tried to wiggle the flapped. Kotori had to bite her lip from squealing in delight, the flap remain shut. Step one was a go. There was more grumbling as whoever tried to open the flap was annoyed followed by the jingling of keys here heard. Kotori was now holding her breath, the lock clicked, the door slowly opened, Kotori closed her eyes and swung as hard as she could.

_**CLANG!**_

The serving tray connected with something hard and the victim slumped to the floor. Kotori took a look at the now damage tray seeing a nice impression of whatever she hit. A very skeletal face. Kotori looked at who she hit and felt sick just by looking. The thing looked like a giant playing card with arms, legs, and head made of flesh that was decaying and peeling away from the body. She was glad that is was face down so she didn't have to see its face.

Kotori smacked her cheeks and collected herself, now was her chance. She stepped over the body and ran as fast as she could then stumble to a stop. There were more the card guards up ahead, armed with spears. She turned around and ran in the opposite direction.

_Just what are those things!? I need to get out of here…_Kotori winced in pain proving that the shoes were not the best for running. _I need a weapon or something, there's no way I can fight those things if one saw me._ Kotori turned the corner and saw an open door leading to a kitchen. _A kitchen? If there's a kitchen then there's a…frying pan!_ Kotori ran in and grabbed the pan from the shelf. _Better than nothing._ She reassured herself and resumed her run a little more confident this time around.

* * *

Yuma laid down in the boat a little bored, compared to the bolterflies from earlier, things where rather calm. The woods cleared and now he was traveling through an empty plane and the factory in question was much closer but now Yuma could see that there was a canyon in the way. He hoped the river would carry him through the entire thing. The sky was fading to orange now as Yuma turned the mallet in his hands examining the carvings again.

"Don't get too comfortable, danger strikes when you least expect it."

Yuma sat up in shock and turned around seeing the skeletal cat sitting on the stern of the boat, "What do you want cat?"

"You have become more accustomed to being here, but have you truly become mad enough? For we are all mad here." The cat grinned more than usual.

Yuma was unamused, "Just what are you?"

"Why I am the simple Cheshire Cat. Friend to all and friend to none."

"Add confusing as heck to description." Yuma muttered.

Cheshire ignored the comment and instead looked up to the canyon wall, "Stay on your guard every minute. When mad, one does not care about if one is friend or foe." He vanished after that.

Yuma blinked in confusion and looked up to where Cheshire was looking. He couldn't quite make it out but there was something on the canyon wall. There was something that looked like a gnome or a gremlin, wearing a tea cup on its head. It was shouting in its own language pointing at Yuma with a giant knife in its hand.

"What is that thing?" Yuma managed to ask before having to hit the deck as a large boulder was launched at him missing and splashing in the water behind him. A whole army of gnomes had appeared on the canyon wall armed with a catapult with its sights set on Yuma. Recovering from the shock, Yuma started to use the croquette mallet as an oar hopefully to get himself moving fast and avoid the flying debris. "Is everything trying to kill me here?!"

One gnome smacked another muttering something then ordered the lot of shift the catapult a bit then fired again. The boulder missed Yuma by inches, but smashed the back half of the boat.

"Gah!" Yuma fell in the river with a splash, the cold water hitting him like needles. Gasping for air, he tried to swim for the remaining bits of the boat but something bit his ankle and pulled him under. Trying not to lose his breath, Yuma looked at what had decided to make a feast out of his leg. The best way to describe it was an anglerfish with legs with its spiny teeth sunk deep into his ankle. Yuma did his best fighting the water resistance to beat it with the mallet but all he managed to do was to poke it in the eye angering it pulling him further underwater. Feeling his lungs starting to give out, Yuma willed some of the playing cards to fly out and sliced the fish to bits. Free from the creature's mouth, he started swimming up as fast as he could.

_Come on…come on…_.He could see the light from the surface, but black was encroaching on his vision. _Almost….there…._It was too far. Yuma let out his breath and began to sink into the depths.

* * *

I mean aren't I? Please leave some reviews! I would love hear what you guys are thinking about this one and I would love to hear any suggestions or hopes you have for this fic.


	4. Cake and Crabs

Yuma thought he was drowning until it felt like someone pumped his lungs full of air again. Coughing hard as his body rediscovered oxygen, he rolled over on the sandy bottom trying to catch his breath.

"How am I still alive?" He wondered out loud, "Even better…how am I even breathing water?"

No answer, not even the Cheshire Cat appeared to spout some mumbo jumbo. Yuma sat up and felt an odd texture when gripping his knee. Looking down and much to his surprise, his clothes had changed again. He now wore a sleeveless shirt that seemed to be made out of some sort of skin pearl in color, the neckline cutting low enough to show a bit of his chest and fin like crests extended from that and his shoulders. A red sash that looked like a fish fin was wrapped around his waist the ends flowing free. The pants where made of black scales and cut off mid shin leaving Yuma completely barefoot. The bite on his ankle was still bleeding so he took one of the silk wraps that were now on his arms and used it to bandage his ankle. And once again, the Emperor's Key remained unchanged.

Yuma stood up brushing his hair out of his face that for once was obeying the laws of gravity and was getting everywhere. Collecting the croquette mallet from where it landed and making sure he still had the playing cards with him, he began trying to figure out how to get back to the surface. Looking up it seemed like the water went up forever like it was the sky so swimming upward didn't seem like a good idea. Plus he was standing on the ground rather than floating so it was like the water wasn't even around him.

"There's got to be something…like a ladder or a submarine…." Yuma muttered to himself. Well if he could breathe down here, maybe someone lives down here too. He could see some sunken ships up ahead, parts scavenge long ago but in the middle of these ship, Yuma could make out a town. "Good place to start…." He slid down the banks making his way to the town.

….

"Out of the frying pan into the fire…." Kotori panted. She had managed to navigate her way outside the castle only to get into a giant hedge maze. Word of her escape must have gotten out too as there more and more card guards around every corner. In hindsight, she might have been better off grabbing a knife from the kitchen but there was no way she could find her way back there now. "Just how do I get out of here?"

"Up, down, left, or right, any way is the right way when you are lost."

Kotori nearly screamed when she saw Cheshire Cat materialize right in front of her. "W-who…what…are you?"

Cheshire grinned, "I am the Cheshire Cat."

"Cheshire….like the Cheshire Cat from _Alice in Wonderland_?" Kotori asked.

"It seems that our tale has been corrupted by society. But I am Cheshire Cat and this…" He gestured with his paw, "…is Wonderland."

"This….this is Wonderland?" Kotori was now extremely confused, "But…but this is nothing like the books!"

"Careful of retellings for they have a tendency to hide the truth and make things…tamer."

"At least you still talk in riddles and cryptic clues." Kotori muttered, "Well then….I don't suppose you know of a way out of here?"

"The Queen's reach goes far and wide. No hope for one ill prepared and ill equipped. But perhaps a bite of cake…and you'll be leaving faster than a falling snowflake." Cheshire vanished after that.

"Cake….I suppose that's the Eat Me cake….but where can I find that?" Kotori wondered as she peaked around a corner checking if the coast was clear, two guards just standing to the right with their backs to her. If she could carefully step to the left then she could…

_**SCHREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!**_

A scream like an alarm echoed throughout the hedge maze, Kotori looked down in horror and discovered that she had stepped on an eyeball! The guards now alerted to her presents roared at her proceeded to give chase.

"What was an eyeball doing there!?" Kotori screamed as she tried to out run them. "Just what kind of Wonderland is this?!"

More guards turn the corner in front of her forcing to take her next left when she saw salvation. Sitting on a table in front her was a cake, with Eat Me written on top. "Here goes nothing…." Kotori took the largest bite she could.

The guard cards were closing in on their prey, then backed up when she began to grow bigger, bigger, bigger, bigger, and bigger, until she was twice the height of the castle. A few dropped their weapons in shock.

"This is weird…." Kotori tried to keep her balanced surprised at hearing an echo in her voice. Some of the card guards had regain their senses and started poking her legs with their spears.

"Ow! Stop that!" Kotori tried to kick it away…only to step on it instead. "Ew…ewewewewewEW!" Kotori ran forward not even daring to look down at the ground or even at the bottom of her shoe. More guards were running towards her and others came with rope and took positions on top of towers. "Just leave me alone!" Kotori smacked the tower guards off their perches and pulled on the ropes they tried to use to pull her down. Squishing sounds where coming from underneath her shoes leaving her no guesses as to what was happening down there. "I seriously doubt this is Wonderland…." Kotori stomped forward over hedge and castle walls towards the empty fields that were in the distance. "I hope this cake doesn't have a time limit…." The final wall rested at about her waist level, but one good kick to its supports sent it tumbling down. "Now to get back to normal size….." At least she could cover good ground like this.

…..

Yuma found himself in the underwater town called Barrellbottom according to the sign to be honest, it wasn't much. There were fish people everywhere living in buildings made from wreckage and going about their day paying Yuma no mind.

"I don't think fish people would want to go above water….." If he could find one human resident, maybe then he could get some help.

"The Carpenter is putting on another show I hear."

"Delightful…I hear those are good fun."

"Excuse me…" Yuma managed to catch the fish couple's attention, "You just mentioned a Carpenter?"

"Oh yes…you'll find him at the Dreary Lane Theater," The fish pointed with his fin to a building at the edge of town, "If you hurry you can get a seat for the show."

Yuma gave them a quick thank and ran for the theater pushing the heavy door open.

"Wake up you lazy buffoon! The show is this evening and nothing is ready!"

Yuma heard a voice from the other side of the curtain separating the foyer from the theater. Pushing it back and to his great relief he saw a person standing a good foot taller than him with messy short red hair and wearing nothing but pants and a workers apron and had a noticeable peg leg. The man was currently smacking a sleeping walrus with a hammer. "For the love of theater can't you stay awake for one rehearsal?" The man paused as he noticed Yuma, "No shows until tonight lad. Be on your way."

"I'm not here for a show."

The man turned furious and stormed up to Yuma, "You have no love for the theater?!"

"Th-that's not what I meant! I was hoping that you had a way back up to the surface!" Yuma stammered.

The man seemed to calm down a bit, "I'm just the Carpenter, what makes you think that I have a way up?"

"Well….don't you build things?" Yuma asked.

"Why yes I do, I built this theater, I built the stage, and I build the shows…which would go on if I weren't surrounded by incompetent fools!" Carpenter shouted back at the walrus, who just snored in his sleep.

"So…can you help me?"

"Depends on what you want boy?" Carpenter said while fiddling with his hammer.

"I'm looking for a friend, we got separated and I was on my way to a factory when my boat got sunk." Yuma explained.

Carpenter rubbed his chin, "You could be looking in the wrong place boy. Wonderland is huge not to mention harsh. You could try going to the Caterpillar, he knows everything. But Alice might know as well…but she is one you do not casually approach least you want your guts on the outside of your body."

"She's….not that bad…is she?" Yuma asked hopeful.

"Mad….mad she is I tell ya. I bet she currently holds a grudge against me…not after she discovered my…activities during her last visit down here." Carpenter whispered.

"What sort of activities?"

"Never mind that, you best be off to Caterpillar instead. Much more peaceful to approach, I'll send ye back to the surface if you…" And explosion shook the theater, "Blast those Cannon Crabs out of here!"

"Cannon Crabs?!" Yuma panicked as the theater shook again.

"Aye…been making my theater their target practice…." Carpenter stormed over to the stage whacking the walrus really hard actually rousing him from sleep this time. "Get you up fool or else there won't be a stage at all." Carpenter climbed onto the walrus' back and they duo swam out a side door. Yuma followed sort of curious as to what these Cannon Crabs looked like.

Like their name, they were rather large crabs but one of their claws where replaced with a large cannon and the crabs were somehow smoking a cigar that they were using to light the fuse. There were about five of them approaching the building pausing every now and them to fire striking the side of the building.

"You best flip them over lad, underbellies are really soft." Carpenter told Yuma twirling his hammer, "Here's how it's done." He leapt off the walrus swinging upward flipping a crab onto its back then brought the hammer right back down striking the underside cracking the shell.

Yuma didn't have to time to stare in awe as another crab was approaching him. He readied the croquette mallet wonder how was he going to get the strength to flip the thing over. _This is not going to work…_The crab fired its cannon at Yuma who leapt out of the way then had to roll over to dodge an incoming claw. Yuma swung the mallet getting the crab to tilt upward a bit not enough to flip it over. _Just a little more force, then I could hit the weak point._ The crab charged again this time Yuma was ready and swung the mallet again this time with the combined force of the charging crab and Yuma's strength, he successes in knocking it up onto its hind legs showing its underbelly.

"Here goes nothing!" Yuma struck the while shell as hard as he could and to his surprise, the mallet actually gave off electric sparks shocking the crab which fell on its back allowing Yuma to give it the finishing blow. "I'm not going to question how wood gives off electricity underwater." Yuma looked around to the three remaining crabs, "Hey could I get some help?"

But the Carpenter and the walrus were nowhere to be seen.

"Aw come on! There's no way I can take three at once!"

"Weak…"

Yuma was surprised to hear a woman's voice, even more so when cloud of butterflies soared past him. What happened next went to fast for him to follow. The butterflies formed into a person only to turn back into the cloud zooming around the crabs swinging a large weapon flipping the crabs over with ease and smashing them. The cloud came towards him and before he could make out any features of the person that formed from them, something hard hit his head and saw nothing but black.


	5. Captured and Mad Children

Alice looked over the boy she just knocked out. This was the intruder that she sensed enter Wonderland? The boy was considerably younger than she was but his clothes were a clue to her that Wonderland was affecting him, not the other way around. Still she could take any risks, the Vorpel Blade was in her hand so all she had to do was…

"The boy hardly had a chance to explain himself. Are you sure the executioner has a guilty prisoner or a free man?"

Alice rolled her eyes, "Must you interrupt everything I do Cheshire?"

Cheshire purred, "Don't assume everything is an enemy. Ending a life before it can blossom is a crime."

Alice felt herself stiffen, "Fine then…I'll let the boy wake up…then see if I need to kill him." She hoisted him up over her should, surprisingly lighter than he seemed. Grabbing the croquette mallet he had with the other hand, she felt a bit of nostalgia pass over her, "It has been a while since I've used this….though where did he find it?"

"You really should learn not to leave your toys lying around." Cheshire joked.

Alice let out a humph and strutted off to her destination. She hoped Hatter wouldn't mind an extra guest for tea.

…..

Kotori sat on the rock, actually it was a small mountain but due to her now larger size it might as well be a rock. After escaping the castle and hedge maze, she had been trekking across an empty plain for quite some time. Right now she was making a mental list what recently accorded and what she learned.

"So this is supposedly Wonderland, and if that's true…I was probably in the castle of the Queen of Hearts if the decorations and those….card guards were anything to go by. Okay so Queen of Hearts, card guards, Cheshire Cat, cake that makes you grow…" Kotori listed the characters off of her fingers, "But other than that…nothing really says Wonderland. You think it would be more colorful." She looked around at the rather dead atmosphere. "Or I could be missing something now that I'm too big. Where's a Drink Me potion when you need one?" Something nudged her foot, "Huh?"

Down by her foot was a small glass bottle but just big enough for her carefully pick up between her fingers. A little tag was tied to the neck and written on it in fancy cursive, Drink Me.

Kotori stared at it skeptically and looked to the sky just to make sure that there wasn't someone above her watching her actions. "Best be careful with how much…" She managed to pull out the stopper and dribbled a few drops in her mouth.

Shrinking faster than she did growing, Kotori now stood at equal height of what was her stool. "Okay…progress….but I need something to use for scale…." Scanning around her trying to find something she could use as a reliable unit of measurement, she spotted something that she over looked at her previous height. Embedded in the mountain was the façade of a doll house with the door swinging open. Kotori crouched down to peer through it, defiantly seeing a whole another environment on the other side. "No other choice I guess." Taking small sips at a time, Kotori manage to shrink herself down until she could fit through the door. Frying pan at the ready, she stepped through the doorway, creped out at what she saw on the other side.

There were doll houses everywhere, but seemed to be allowed to fall into disrepair. Fences were made out of pencils and Lincoln Logs. Giant dolls large enough to be buildings where here and there with rather vacant expression staring ahead. Kotori wanted to leave but when she turned around, the door was gone.

"Great….just like someone Wonderland would do to its visitors…but when did a creepy toy land became part of this?" Kotori wonder aloud as she realized her clothes felt lighter. In place of the red dress was now a green stripped dress that reached her knees though the green portions reached mid skirt and was cut at an angle revealing a white skirt underneath that. The dress has short puffy sleeves with cuffs held together with oversized buttons. There was a high collar with a lacy blue bow tied around her neck. Reaching up with her hands now sporting purple fingerless lace gloves she felt the crown was replace by a bow. Though what was odd that in random places on her dress it seemed like it had be ripped apart and stitched back together or a patch using the most contrasting fabric possible was used to cover the damage. "So Wonderland changes your clothes too…just creepy…."

The wind blew through the rather empty area and if there such things as tumbleweeds here, one would be blowing by now. "Come on…there's just got be someone here." If she was really in Wonderland, there would be plenty of characters she might run into. But thinking on it, and if Yuma was here as well, would he even recognize anything?

"He never really did pay attention when we read the book in school…I bet he forgot the book even exists." Kotori chuckled a bit. She could picture how Yuma might of reacted to what she had seen so far, which involved a lot a freaking out but still being able to pull himself together to get out of the situation. Now that she thought about it….Yuma always figured a way out of whatever mess he had gotten them into. But this time…he wasn't here.

"Yuma…" Kotori felt a tear run down her cheek but shook her head, "Get a grip! You can find a way out on your own. You already faced zombies so creepy dolls should be a breeze. Yuma might have gotten himself into trouble so it's up to you to get him out of it!" She shouted the last part to the sky but it seemed that someone else was listening, and was giggling.

"They say speaking to yourself is a sign of madness, if that be true…I would have been strung up years ago."

That was a child's voice, what was a child doing here? "Um….hello?" Kotori hesitantly called out.

"Best you not stay here…here is due for distraction….destruction…disaster…." The speaker muttered as if trying to figure out the word.

"Um…is anyone there?" Kotori called out again going around the mound of pencils that she assumed the voice was coming from. When she saw the speaker it took all of her willpower to not vomit.

It was a child no older than ten. But the poor thing had her mouth sewn into a smile and her eyelids sewn open was well preventing her from blinking. An ugly looking surgical wound crossed her forehead left it to Kotori's imagination about what horror had been done to the girl who was just sitting on the ground rocking side to side clutching a teddy bear.

"W-What happened to you?!" Kotori was horrified at the girl's condition.

"The train is coming with its shiny cars. With comfy seats and wheels of stars. So hush my little ones have no fear. The man in the moon is the engineer." The girl recited before breaking out into a fit of giggles.

"What are you going on about?"

The girls started to rock faster, "She wants to forget…but can't…but she can destroy this place. Already fixed everything else but doesn't care about this place…..she just left it to rot."

"Then….why are you still here?"

The girl giggled, "Dimwits won't leave…too mad to understand danger. Just play their little games….all the games." Her rocking ceased.

"Are you…worried about your friends?"

The girl turned to look at Kotori, "Why should someone who's sane worry about the mad?"

"Because isn't that the right thing to do?"

"No one helped us when the Dollmaker attacked….even Alice turned a blind eye until it was nearly too late….Dollmaker had her fooled."

Hearing the name Alice immediately caught Kotori's attention, so this really was Wonderland and there was an Alice. "Where is Alice? Can't she help you?"

"Too busy helping herself…selfish to the end…" The girl's face tugged at the stitches trying to frown. "She rather sees this place burn…already is…doesn't know we're still here. Thinks we're dead….don't blame her…."

The ground started shaking catching Kotori off guard but barely fazed the girl. A large crack was heard in the distance as Kotori watched in horror was several buildings in the distance crumpled in on themselves and sank into the ground.

"We've got to get out of here…." Kotori whispered. She bent down and grabbed the little girl's arm, "Let's go find your friends. I promise I'll get you all out of here."

The girl seemed to be smiling for real, "A champion arises!" She started to lead Kotori off pulling hard on her arm despite her tiny size. "A real champion to lead us to victory."

Kotori could only wonder what she had gotten herself into.


	6. Tea Time and Questions

Yuma was really getting tired of getting knocked out and waking up in other locations. The smell of steam and hot metal was a good sign that he wasn't underwater anymore. Could he be at that factory he was trying to get to before? Once his vision cleared he could tell that he was sitting at a long table covered in teapots and tea seats of various sizes and decorations. Looking down at himself he saw that once again his clothes had changed. A white dress shirt that had belts around his forearms and wrists secured the cloth in place and a deep red vest held closed with three buckles was over that and a red tie was tucked into place under that. He also had dark brown britches tucked into black boots and for some reason there were three belts wrapped around his right thigh and a pouch was wrapped around his left leg. He felt something on his forehead that kind of felt like goggles but all thoughts about how his clothes changed again went out the window when he realized that he was tied to the chair he was sitting in.

"What the heck!?" Yuma started to struggle against the leather straps, "Who's idea was this?!"

"Hush you! It's time for tea!"

Yuma looked back up at the three other residence seated at the table. One of them looked like a larger version of the gnomes that attacked him in the canyon but he could see mechanical bits sticking out of his body. Though already tall, his giant black and white hat made him even taller and the sight of the unsecured straight jacket he was wearing sent chills down Yuma's spine. To the hat guy's right was what looked like to be a rabbit with brown fur wearing a red waist coat but its appearance turned mechanical with a device on its head that had a monocle over one eye, the left arm and well as the lower half of the legs were replace with mechanical prosthetics. On the left was a large mouse with a small bell on its head and wore a blue checked vest but instead of legs, it was large wheels and a large key that Yuma recognized from windup toys was sticking out of its back. In all honesty, this whole set up was reminding Yuma of a horror movie he and Tetsuo tried to watch one evening before Akari caught them and confiscated the DVD.

The hat guy spoke again, "We've been having a delightful tea part and you have barely touched your tea!"

"Uh…I really can't do anything!" Yuma shook the chair again, "How about you untie me."

"No time for that, time for tea!" The mouse shouted drinking down a cup after saturating it with sugar.

"And we have no trust in you lad," The rabbit leapt onto the table walk down towards Yuma's end not caring for all the food he was stepping on. "Why even Alice brought you in and told us to keep you entertained. But you look like a respuckes!"

Yuma just arched an eyebrow at the made up word then leaned back as far as he could as the rabbit got into his face, "Strange strange strange you are…..even this!" The rabbit grabbed the Emperor's Key from Yuma's neck breaking the cord, "This is suspicious! It must be dealt with!"

"GIVE THAT BACK!" Yuma yelled but the rabbit hopped back to his end of the table give the pendant to the hat guy who looked over it, "This is neither clock nor contraption I've ever seen."

"You can't even tell a watch from writing desk!" The rabbit threw a cup at the hat guy only for him to retaliate with a tea pot. Soon the three of them were throwing various cutlery and food at each other. Yuma had to duck a few times when some stray shots went his way. "Can I just have my pendant back!?" His cries were ignored by the trio and Yuma could only watch as the Key was now used as ammo in the fight. Eventually it got tossed over the mouse's head and landed on the floor.

_Maybe I could scoot over there…._Yuma started trying to turn the chair around. He could move his feet a bit so he could inch his way over to where the Key had landed. The three crazy…people…were caught up in their food fight so they wouldn't notice him. Slowly he inched his was closer and closer until he leaned too far over sending him and the chair to fall on the right side.

"Ow…." Yuma groaned, his pendant was just a foot away from him but now he was like a turtle on its back, helpless. The sound of his crash went unheard by the trio at the table who had appeared to have pulled out weapons now and were using those in combat, there's no way they would give him a hand.

"Must you three always turn to such barbaric methods?"

Yuma looked up at the newcomer to the scene. She was the most normal looking girl Yuma had seen since he arrived in this bizarre place. She had dark brown hair cut to her shoulders and her green eyes stood out due to her dark make-up. The dress she was wearing was also various shades of brown with a corset held together with buckles that connected with another that was around her neck. Fingerless leather gloves covered in belts reached where her sleeves ended showing no skin and a leather apron laid over the skirt sporting two symbols that Yuma didn't recognize. She surveyed the situation clearly disappointed with what she was seeing. She then suddenly produced a knife in her hand and threw it landing point down in the table ending the scuffle. "I expected better of you Hatter."

Hatter put down the tea set he was about to throw, "Just a bit of merry Alice."

The newly named Alice frowned, "I told you to keep an eye on the boy, so tell me how he ended up over here." She pointed to where Yuma was currently laying on the floor.

"This is your fault Dormouse!" The rabbit snapped.

"It's yours Marche Hare!" Dormouse retorted.

"Enough!" Alice shouted rubbing her temples, "Just continue your little tea party, I'll take care of him now."

"Have it your way," Hatter raised a cup, "It's always time for tea."

Yuma watched as Alice approached him and righted the chair upwards only for her to start dragging him out of the room by the back of the chair, "W-Wait! My Key!"

"Key?" Alice stopped dragging him.

Yuma managed to point to where it laid on the ground, "The rabbit took it from me."

Alice gave him a good long look as if she suspected him of lying, but she did pick up the pendant and slipped it into her pocket and resumed dragging Yuma out of the room.

_What now…_Yuma thought as Alice continued to drag him into a smaller room. _Maybe she could untie more or…hold a knife to my throat!?_ Yuma stiffened as he felt the cold metal against his neck. When did she retrieve her weapon?

"I'll ask you this once." Alice stared right at him in the eyes, "Who are you and how did you get into my Wonderland?"

Yuma felt his voice catch in his throat. He had never been in this kind of position before, not to mention he really didn't have a clue about anything that's happened today. "I-I don't know…."

Alice applied more pressure to the knife, "I have no time for games…"

"I really don't!" Yuma was starting to panic trying to lean away from the blade, "My friend and I just got pulled through a mirror!"

"A mirror?" Alice backed off a bit, "By what?"

Yuma took a few shaky breathes, "It…it was a hand….red…with claws. It grabbed Kotori…and I grabbed her trying to prevent the hand from taking her but I got pulled in too."

Alice removed the knife from his neck, so he really didn't arrive of his own accord. But if his story was true, why hasn't she sensed a second person enter Wonderland? The White Rabbit would never dare bring someone else into Wonderland and the Red Queen has been dormant for many years.

Yuma started wiggling at the straps again trying to free himself, "Can you untie me now?"

Alice sent him a glare and raised her blade. Yuma shut his eyes expecting the worse, only to hear the sound of something being cut and felt the straps loosen. "Huh?"

"You are not leaving my sight understood?" Alice held the knife in a threatening manner, "If you give me any reason to believe that you are here to cause harm…" She made a cutting motion with the knife, "Are we clear?"

"Y-yes…." Yuma rubbed his arms where the straps had pinched his skin. "Can you help me find Kotori?"

Alice was a little surprised at his forwardness, even after her death threat, "You were the only one I sensed enter here, I did not sense another."

Yuma felt a bit crushed, Kotori wasn't here? Then where did she end up?

"But that doesn't mean she isn't here," Alice flicked his forehead and tossed the Emperor's Key back to him, "So stop it with that sorry expression."

Yuma rubbed the spot she flicked and retied the cord around his neck, "So you can help me?"

"Only if you remain close to me and don't do anything foolish. Now mind telling me your name?" Alice asked.

"It's Yuma."

"Very well then Yuma, we have a deal. You might need these back." She tossed him the croquette mallet and the deck of cards.

"Where were you keeping those?" Yuma asked.

Alice ignored him, "Stay close, Hatter's factory is full of surprises."

Yuma nodded in understanding and followed, he finally had a guide in this place and he wasn't going to lose her. _Just hold on Kotori, I'm gonna find you._


	7. The Past and Healing

Today is my birthday so my present to you is DOUBLE UPDATE ON ALL IF MY FICS! Enjoy! (please review guys….I'm getting worried that I'm not doing a good job on this one.)

…

Yuma and Alice walked in silence for a good while. She had led him to some of the outer walkways of the factory giving him a nice view of the sky above and canyon below. Yuma decided to try to break up the silence, "So….what exactly is this place?"

Alice looked a little annoyed by the question, "This is Wonderland, a land of my own creation."

Yuma's eyes widened, "You made this whole place? That's amazing!"

"No one's called it amazing before, doctors told me it was just a mad delusion that I need to let go."

"That makes no sense…your standing in it…and so am I. So it's obviously real."

Alice laughed a bit, "Well, they didn't have the opportunity to visit….except for one." She spat the last part out.

"What happened to him?" Yuma asked.

Alice turned red in anger thinking of the memory so Yuma decided to change the subject, "So if you made this place…can you explain to me why my clothes keep changing?"

Alice stopped in her tracks, "You've seen landscapes that look like nothing you've seen before, creatures have tried to kill you, and your first question about Wonderland is why you clothes keep changing?"

"Err….yeah. I keep getting knocked unconscious only to wake up in a different place in a different outfit! It gets awkward after the first two times." Yuma complained.

Alice just shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know."

"You…don't know?" Yuma was in disbelief, "You made this place and don't know?"

"I never felt the need to question it," she said, "There have been more important matters at hand."

"Speaking of which, where are we going?" Yuma asked.

"The Looking Glass Line, we'll take it to go visit Caterpillar. Hopefully he'll be direct about where your friend is."

"So everyone here talks in riddles? Cause I've gotten enough from that cat."

Alice paused, "Cat? Do you mean the Cheshire Chat?"

"If you mean gray, skeletal and creepy as the underside of my bed sometimes…then yeah that cat."

Alice face palmed, once again Cheshire not being direct caused a lot of unnecessary things to happen. He only appeared only to those trustworthy after all.

"You okay?" Yuma asked confused by Alice's reaction.

"It's nothing…you seem to treasure that necklace very much." She said pointing to the Emperor's Key.

"This?" Yuma held it up in his hand, "My dad gave it to me when I was little. I also caused me to meet my best friend."

"Is this the same friend we're looking for?" Alice asked.

"No, Kotori's been my friend since we were kids but Astral…he went back home." Yuma looked longingly at the Key, "He hasn't sent a single message since."

"Sounds strange for a close friend to never write." Alice pointed out.

"He might be busy! We just saved his world together!" Yuma froze at the last statement, realizing he might have said too much.

"His world?" This peaked Alice's curiosity, "Like his own Wonderland?"

"No…no nothing like that. Just forget what I said…" Yuma tried to walk past her but she put her arm up blocking him.

"Elaborate please." She not so kindly asked.

"It's too complicated," Yuma tried to brush her off.

Alice wasn't amused with his excuse, "Sorry but the too complicated excuse doesn't work on me."

Yuma bit his lip, unsure what to do. Would Alice even believe him if he told the entire truth? Then again he was in a world of her own creation and she had already threatened him with a knife.

"Astral….um….how to put this…"Yuma felt the words spill out, "Astral's home was in a war…..I met him when he was looking for a weapon to end it."

"Did you find it?" Alice asked.

"Yeah….his home won but Astral had to go back to help repair the damage….so I guess he's just busy…maybe that's why he hasn't visited or sent a message."

"Sounds like he'll be gone for a while then. Maybe you shouldn't keep your hopes up."

Yuma pouted, "Why do you sound so negative about things?"

"Life experience," She quipped.

"Or it could be the dreary atmosphere around here…." Yuma muttered.

"Mind the beam." Alice warned Yuma purposely too late causing him to run into it.

"You did that on purpose…." Yuma groaned in pain.

"Stop your whining…" Alice said as she stepped up to the ticket booth of the Looking Glass Line and looked at the schedule, rather pointless since time had no concept in Wonderland but she knew all they had to do was to ring the bell and the train would arrive.

Yuma leaned over the platform looking down the tracks, "So where is this train?"

"You'll know if you want to lose your head."

Yuma scooted away from the edge, "I would like to keep my head."

Alice let out a small laugh as she watched the train approach. The proper train to run through Wonderland had a reflective surface, Mock Turtle would spend hours polishing his prized train overjoyed when Alice had managed to repair the entire line and reappointed him as stationmaster. The train glided to a stop and the doors open automatically.

"Are you going to board or are you going to stand there all there with your mouth open to catch the flies?" Alice asked.

Yuma closed his mouth trying to regain his composure and stepped aboard, was it just him or did it sound like Alice liked to give mild insults to everyone she talked too?

…

Kotori really wasn't sure what was going on. The deranged girl had dragged her to a large building with a banner hung from it that read Fort Resistance written in childish handwriting and had met three other children that were in the same horrible state that the girl was. One had his scalp missing exposing his brain and a large screw driven in through his head and one eye sewn shut with the other open and his mouth sewn into a smile. The second boy had his scalp on a hinge allowing it flip open to show his brain, both of his eyes were sewn open and his mouth was sewn shut as well as into a smile. The last boy had some sort of device bolted into his head and unlike his other companions, his eyes and mouth were left alone allowing him to truly express wheat he felt. Kotori forced herself to maintain composure around them, the sight of them made her feel ill and their behavior freaked her out. But right now the girl had locked the doors of the fort claiming that "they" were about. It didn't take much for Kotori to guess that it was something bad judging by the sounds she was hearing. For now she was trying to keep the children entertained. They kept bringing her broken toys or scraps of cloth before returning to their own little games.

She traced the cracks on one of the broken dolls brought to her, Just _what did these kids go through? _She mused as the brace child came up to her again with a torn cloth doll in one hand and a basket in the other. "Do you need something?"

The brace child dropped the basket in her lap and held up the doll making stabbing motions at it.

Kotori was puzzled, "What do you want me to do?" The child motioned to the basket and Kotori opened it and took a look inside. In it was thread and needles, "Oh…you want me to fix it?"

The child nodded dropping the doll in the basket. Kotori took it and fumbled a bit trying to thread one of the needles. She wasn't the best at sewing, she had tried to fix her own dolls at home but the stitches were huge and the repair jobs didn't last very long. But she was going to try her best taking the needle and starting the first stitch to fix the tear. Kotori felt her hands shaking trying to keep the stitches small like her mother taught her. With each pass of the needle, she pulled the tear close and did her best to knot the thread at the end to secure it and fished out a pair of scissors to trim the end. "Is this better?"

The brace boy looked at the doll, and gave a weak smile before taking it back and returned to his blocks in his corner.

Kotori felt a wave of relief wash over her, _He looked happy….if there was more I could do…._She looked at the scissors in her hand, and a thought came to her mind. Standing up, she made her way to where the leader girl was playing, "Um….would you….would you like me to take out some of your stitches?"

The girl tilted her head in curiosity, "Take them out? They can be taken out? Never thought to do that…can that be done?"

"I'm sure some of them can…at least let me try…they hurt don't they?"

The girl tried to make a frown, "Hurt…everything hurts…can't tell what doesn't."

"Here…" Kotori took the girl's hand, "Just hold still….I'll try to make it better." She inspected the stitches holding the girl's mouth in place. They seemed loose enough to cut with the scissor. Ideally a doctor should do this but Kotori had no idea where one could be found and if she truly was in Wonderland…they might not have the best opinion.

_Take a deep breath….steady hands…._Kotori lined up the scissors….and cut the thread.

The thread loosened and came out of her cheek allowing the skin to relax and sag. The girl felt her cheek, looking rather marveled at the touch, "So soft…."

"Hold one…I've got to do the rest of them." Kotori proceeded to cut the thread holding the other half her mouth. Then she moved onto the ones holding her eyes open. They were much smaller but she managed to cut the thread allowing the girl to blink possibly for the first time in years.

"It feels so….nice…." The girl rubbed her new face. The wounds where bleeding a bit but Kotori used the cloth scraps to mop up the blood and keep the wounds closed until they closed on their own then wrapped a bandaged around the wound on her head. Kotori gave her a smile, "It will be better." Turning from the girl, she saw the three boys had come over, all looking rather expectantly at her. Kotori swallowed the lump in her throat that came from nerves, "All right…let's see what we can do for you.


	8. Escape Plans and the Truth

Kotori sat in exhaustion, she had no idea how long it took to treat all of the children. She had managed to remove off the stitches that where holding their eyes and mouths. The boy with the opening scalp she had managed to use a cloth to wrap around it keep it shut and also undid the straight jacket that restrained his limbs. There wasn't much she could do for the one with the exposed brain but after much fighting with both the device and the boy, she removed it from his head. The last boy with the brace took the longest due to not having any tools she had to remove every bolt and screw by hand. It took what felt like hours but eventually the device was extracted from his head. After bandaging the wounds the four of them ran around testing out their new freedom before dropping to the floor asleep. Kotori decided to let them be, it was most likely the first real sleep they had in a while.

She tried to clean her hands on some rags and she wondered why where these children here and how did they get into such bad shape? Wasn't anyone looking out for them?

"Life is not kind, being young doesn't guarantee a guardian."

Kotori nearly jumped as she saw the Cheshire Cat materialize in front of her. Was her reading her mind?

"You showed them kindness that the world did not show them and Alice," Cheshire continued, "Now they will follow you like chicks to a mother hen. Are you prepared for that responsibility?"

Kotori bit her lip, Cheshire did have a point. Ideally the right thing was to keep taking care of the children but she really had to figure out how to get back home and to track down where Yuma went. Both were things she felt like she had to do, but which one should she do first? Or do it at all?

_Is this what Yuma felt when he had to face Shark over the Numeron Code?_ Kotori thought thinking back to that battle. "What should I do?"

Cheshire just purred, "Scolding others for lack of action seemed easy when you never had to take the Morton's Fork. But time is neither an ally nor a foe, it just flows and flows. You won't have all the time in the world."

Kotori groaned at Cheshire's cryptic advice, if it was advice. "So what now?"

"Best be prepared…and iron skillet won't do you much good." Cheshire said casting a glance at the frying pan the pointed to a pile of toys in the back of the fort.

Kotori seriously doubted that toys were going to do her much better than the frying pan but nonetheless got up and started scavenging through the pile. All she could find were dice and jacks with no idea how those would help her. There was a jack in the box but she didn't want to take a look in that. But at the bottom of the pile resting on the floor, was a rifle. It was odd in shape with the barrel crocked and fanned out at the end. Kotori picked it up feeling the weight then realized something, she didn't even know how to use a gun.

"A Blunderbuss in the hands of a blockhead is a catastrophe waiting to happen. You're not a dunderhead, but exercise great care." Cheshire purred.

Kotori placed the Blunderbuss in her lap, maybe there was something else she could use. There was what appeared to be a wand made of ice that felt cold to the touch.

"Withering cold incapacitates an enemy more completely than deep wounds, but Winter does not last forever." Cheshire chirped.

_Magic…_Kotori reasoned. Taking both weapons she looked out the window of the fort, she couldn't see anything but saw another section on the horizon disappear. As soon as the children woke up, they were leaving.

…

Yuma tapped his feet as they rode the train. Outside he could see the fields and rivers that he recognized as the same area that he first woke up in. His clothes had even returned to their appearance from that area. Alice's outfit had changed as well now wearing a simple blue dress with a white apron over that but bloodstains on the front was a little creepy. On top of that she was playing with the knife, flipping it around, brushing her fingers against the blade, and flicking it several times. Yuma would never dare to do that, especially if his grandmother caught him. Yuma started to rock in his seat a little bored, he never really liked going on trains.

"Don't fidget so much, it won't be that long." Alice said taking notice of his behavior.

Yuma pouted, "It's boring…."

"Would you rather have the train be attack? Because that has happened before." Alice said with a sly smirk.

"No…no thank you…I'll take the boring train ride."

"Don't let Mock Turtle hear you say that."

Yuma decided not to ask who or what Mock Turtle was. He reckon that he wasn't human. "So…you said you made this place…is it your mind?"

Alice mused over the question, "Can't say that it is. It's more of a reflection. Changes depending on my memories or things that I've encounter in the 'real world'."

"Was that why you got all mad when I was dragged here? Invading privacy?"

Alice shook her head, "No…just last time someone tried to enter Wonderland….he tried to destroy it."

Yuma paused, "Why?"

She clenched her fists, "He wanted me to forget….forget who I was…forget my family….all to cover up his crime. But I wouldn't forget….I wouldn't forget what he did…"

Forgetting….Yuma could sort of understand. III had caused him to forget Astral briefly, those moments when those memories where gone and the realization when he got them back, those were brutal. Yuma watched Alice's expression turned grim and curiosity got the better of him, "What did he do?"

Alice shot him a death glare, then her gazed turned to the window behind him. Yuma turned around and followed her gaze. The train was passing a house….a house on fire quickly turning to embers. Yuma let out a soft 'oh' as he understood, "I'm sorry…."

"They all said that….they all said that…." Alice gripped her dress, "But when they realized I no longer functioned normally by their standards….I was sent to a mental asylum. I was eight years old at the time…and I remained there for ten years."

Yuma felt himself sink into his seat, he really shouldn't have pried. He was lucky that his parents were only trapped in another world…but Alice's family was gone.

"But that's in the past…." Yuma didn't realize that Alice was still going, "Even after I was deemed sane…I was an outcast. No one dared to be associated with a lunatic…so I simply returned to Wonderland…forever."

"How….long ago was that?" Yuma asked.

"I'm not sure…the year was 1880 last I remember."

Yuma blinked, did he hear that right?

"Is something wrong?" Alice asked.

"Umm….the year isn't 1880…..that date is about two hundred years ago."

It was Alice's turn to look surprised, "Pardon?"

"It's the year 2034….you're over two hundred years old!" Yuma exclaimed.

Alice sat there as the information sunk in, surely it hasn't been that long. It only felt like a few for her but if it had been about two hundred years, how was she not dead? And wasn't reality part of Wonderland now? Or was her view of London was actually a new section of Wonderland. The train rolled to a stop as Alice got off in a daze with Yuma following worried about her. "Alice…are you alright?"

"How did I not realize…." She muttered to herself, "What has become of me?"

"You're still you right?"

Alice gave Yuma a quizzical look, "What do you mean?"

"You haven't changed who you are right? I mean…either you just didn't age or you're a ghost now but you're still you."

"Why do you speak as if you have experience?" Alice asked.

Yuma rubbed his head nervously, "Let's just say I have some friends who turned out to have been reincarnated several times. They had a hard time sorting through three sets of memories and had a bit of an identity crisis at one point. But they realized that no matter what life they had, they were still themselves."

"Perhaps I would like to meet them."

"I don't know about that…Shark might try to burn the place."

Alice chuckled, "You have a friend who's a shark?"

"No he's not a shark though we did try that joke one time….it's just his nickname." Yuma corrected her.

"No matter…we're here anyways."

"Um…..that's a model."

True enough, in front of them was a model of a mountain with tiny buildings and plants.

"Are you sure about that?" Alice walked around to the other side of the model where a hookah rested and picked up the pipe.

"What are you doing?" Yuma asked.

Alice neglected to answer him as she blew into the pipe creating a huge cloud of smoke enveloping them both, Yuma coughing all the way.

….

Please review guys! Seriously I will draw something for the first person that reviews this fic. Pinky promise.


	9. Smoke and Battles

I've got some big news at the end of this chapter so keep reading.

…..

Yuma rubbed his throat sore after inhaling some of the smoke Alice blew out of the pipe. "What was that stuff?!"

"Don't be such a baby," Alice scolded, "It was just opium."

"I don't think I know what that is….So what exactly happened?" Yuma asked as he looked around. The area around them changed, large mountains rose above them looking like they were made out of painted paper rather than rocks. Giant paper fans lined pathways with a few of them forming bridges. Mahjong tiles littered the ground and paper lanterns lit up the area.

Their clothes had once again changed to better match the area. Alice dress had appeared to be a cross between a Japanese kimono and a Chinese hanfu done in blue silk with a floral pattern. A pink obi rested on her waist but was tied in more of a traditional bow. Yuma discovered he had a jacket on made of purple silk with silver clouds embroidered on it fashioned in the style of dress from ancient paintings of Japanese lords Yuma once saw but the sleeves were narrowed like a Chinese jacket and cut off above his stomach showing a black shirt underneath. He also had on gray Chinese style pants and black slipper on and feeling some tugging on his hair, Yuma discovered that his hair had been tied into a ponytail but left his bangs free.

"We simply shrunk to fit better." Alice said.

"So that smoke shrunk us? Can it even though that?" Yuma saw Alice's stare, "Never mind….world of your creation…can do whatever you want. So we're on that mountain model now?"

"That's correct, Caterpillar resides here. Hopefully he will be in so we can get some answers as to where your friend is."

"Alice!"

And old voice echoed as something approached them. Yuma squinted and saw what looked like a large ant but it seemed to be made out of paper, like a living piece of origami. He had to admit, that was pretty cool.

The paper ant approached them and bowed to Alice, "Oh Alice, the Wasps have resumed their attack while the Caterpillar has taken a leave. Please save us from them!"

Alice let out a small sigh, "I hope you don't mind a detour, it seems like Caterpillar has gone for a walk anyway."

Yuma nodded, "Yeah…let's go."

…..

Kotori took a deep breath as she led her group and shifted the Blunderbuss that was strapped to her back. Right now they were navigating the streets and buildings trying to find the exit to this place. Progress was slow has the children kept getting distracted by their surrounding or become very frightful of something and it always took some time for Kotori to round them back up.

_I swear we've past that teddy bear already…._Kotori groaned a bit to herself. She was pretty certain that they were going around in circles, every path looked the same to her. She tightened her grip on the Ice Wand, there was what sounded like thundering footsteps somewhere and she was really hoping she would never meet whatever was causing them.

The leader girl tugged on Kotori's skirt, "They're coming…coming fast…" There was genuine fear in her voice rather than paranoia. Kotori knew why, the footsteps were coming closer. The nearby pencil fence was shattered into debris as what appeared to be a large girl doll with missing eyes and wielding a large pair of scissors stormed out. It let out a screech as a large burst of flame erupted from its mouth.

"Everyone this way!" Kotori turned the group around and ran in the other direction as the doll girl followed screeching and laughing. It was gaining on them quickly due to having larger legs.

"How do you use this thing!" Kotori waved the Ice Wand behind her as hard as she could. By some miracle the wand shot out a dense mist that struck the doll and began to freeze it. The doll shrieked as it's jointed locked up and the porcelain began to break due to how brittle it became. Before Kotori could celebrate the victory one of the boys screamed and pointed to the other end of the street. There were two more doll girls peering down the street as well as what appeared to be flying doll heads with legs as propellers. Kotori swung the Ice Wand again shooting out more mist but the flying heads were too fast and she felt her strength leaving her.

_What's going on?_ Kotori wondered_, Is this like one of those video games where you've got something like mana? _She fell to one knee but the dolls were now approaching. Doing the only thing she could think of, she grabbed the Blunderbuss off of her back and held it up like the way she saw in the movies and fired. The recoil knocked her on her back but whatever she fired took out a large chunk of the surrounding buildings and disintegrated the monstrous dolls.

Kotori leaned on the barrel of the Blunderbuss for support feeling completely drained breathing heavily. She couldn't feel any strength in her legs to help her get back up. _Come on move! There's going to more coming…._She tried to wiggle her foot_….come on move!_ She tried to push herself back up only to fall over.

"The champion has fallen! Let us help!" The leader called out to the other three boys. The four of them immediately ran to Kotori's side grabbing her arms and draping them over their tinny bodies and begun their best efforts to drag her along. "Hurry hurry…." The leader called, "They will be back….they won't be happy."

Kotori just felt her mind swim trying to focus on the ground ahead. As much as she wanted to sleep, she knew she couldn't. It was too dangerous right now, they had to get to safety first. She felt something grabbing her ankle, at first she panicked, but saw that it was the brain boy trying to bend her legs as if she was walking. "Left….right….left….right…." She heard him whisper the movements.

_Left….right…left….right….left…right…._Kotori repeated it in her head putting all of her focus on her legs. Her foot found ground and slowly….Kotori stood back up usuing the Blunderbuss as a walking stick. The children immediately circled around her arms out ready to catch her if she fell. "It's all right…we just need to take it easy for a bit." She reassured them.

Scalp boy suddenly making train noise and franticly pointing. "What is it?" Kotori asked him.

"Choo choo!" He pointed again and Kotori saw what he was referring too, train tracks. If there were train tracks, there was a train station and a train to board!

"Let's follow the tracks…." Kotori hobbled as the children took guard around her to make sure her legs where moving. Taking a guess, Kotori followed the tracks to the left hoping she was going in the right direction for the station.

"The train is coming with its shiny cars. With comfy seats and wells of stars. So hush my little ones have no fear. The man in the moon is the engineer." The children started to chant over and over again as they followed the tracks. The odd rhyme unnerved Kotori a bit but she found herself joining on the third time around. As much as it creped her out it did help her to keep a good pace going. Other than their chanting the walk was quite.

The sun was setting, or rising, or stuck in the sky when they arrived at their destination, a lone train station. Kotori hobbled up to the ticket booth only to find it empty. There was a schedule posted but it made no sense claiming trains were leaving yesterday or at tea time. One time was listed to be on Frabjous day, whatever day that was. There was a bell on the counter that said "Ring for Train" which Kotori rang several times, "Hello? Is anyone in?"

There was no answer from inside of the booth, but instead the unmistakable sound of a steam engine whistle was approaching. Kotori could see the silver engine approach the station but something else was approaching…a whole army of monster dolls.

"Crap crap crap crap….." Kotori franticly looked between the engine and the army trying to figure out which one would arrive first. Bracing herself against the ticket booth, she readied both the Ice Wand and the Blunderbuss. "When the train get's here…you all get on! No exceptions!" She ordered the children behind her. Flying doll heads were approaching first, Kotori swung the Ice Wand creating a large cloud of mist freezing the heads that were closer while others managed to pull back in time. She then readied the Blunderbuss and aimed it at the front most doll girl and fired creating a domino effect as the ones in the path of the bullet exploded sending shrapnel into others cutting them up. It didn't end there though, new monstrous doll made of sludge and industrial parts were also approaching standing at about twelve feet tall. Kotori fired the Blunderbuss again but missed her target only creating an explosion that knocked the sludge creature over and it was making an effort to get back up.

The breaks on the train were heard as it pulled into the station. "Get on!" Kotori ordered the children again not taking her eyes off the sludge monster. The children scrambled aboard panicking hiding under the seats. At this point Kotori turned away from the battle and ran onto the train as fast as she could slamming the door behind her. "GO! GO!" She called to someone, hopefully the engineer as she saw the sludge monster right itself and approached the station.

Her cry was heard as the engine started up and began to pull away from the station. Kotori watch as the scenery started to go by faster and faster and soon the train station and the monsters were behind them. It was only then did Kotori realize just how exhausted she was. She collapsed onto one of the seats having no strength left letting the rocking of the train put her to sleep.

…

FAN ART CONTEST!

I'm holding a fan art contest for all of the fics I've written in part that I am preparing to post my stories on Archive of Our Own which allows the inserting of art in the story. All you have to do is to draw a picture inspired by or based off any of my fics. And there will be a prize for each fic.

1st place for each story: Art used in Archive of Our Own posting, one shot request, art request.

2nd place for each story: Art used in Archive of Our Own posting, one shot request.

3rd place for each story: Art used in Archive or Our Own posting

All artwork will be credited to the original artists. Please keep all requests SFW and please no yaoi parings.

The due date is May 31st so just PM a link to your art to submit. If you are having a hard time submitting your work let me know.


	10. Relief and Wasps

_Kotori ran as fast as she could down the dirt path. Everything had gone wrong. Kaito, Tetsuo, Shark….everyone was dead. Kotori tripped and turned back in horror at the demon that was chasing her._

"_Kotori!"_

_The golden winged form of Zexal scooped Kotori up before the demon attacked. "Kotori are you okay?"_

"_Yuma…." Kotori felt tears come to her eyes. Yuma was still alive._

_Zexal placed Kotori back on the ground, "It will be alright. We'll…." Zexal suddenly cut off his sentence his face freezing in a state of shock before falling to the ground._

"_Yuma!" Kotori started shaking him, "Yuma please wake up!"_

_**He cannot help you.**_

_Kotori looked up in horror as the demonic form of Don Thousand stood over her._

_**He wasted his time and energy trying to protect you. But now you stand alone with no power to your name.**_

_Kotori felt her throat swell up and tears fall down her face._

"_Why do you have to be so useless?"_

_Zexal started talking again much to Kotori's surprise but his face began to distort in unnatural ways._

"_You always tag along but never pulled your weight, how come you got to stand with us in the end?" Zexal's body began to distort as well forming claws and the gold's fading into black. "You don't deserve to be with us…" He grabbed Kotori's arms with clawed hands prevent her from running as his teeth sharpened like that of a vampire, "So disappear…" His mouth widened larger than humanly possible._

_Kotori could only scream._

….

Kotori sat up with a start catching her breath. Looking around she saw that she was still on the train but it had come to a stop at a lush field. Laying back down she barely took notice that her outfit had changed again this time to a simple white blouse with a green pinafore over it. But she did notice one thing, the children were gone.

"Guys?!" She sat up again, where did they go?

"Are you awake lass?"

Kotori saw a large turtle with a cow like face enter the train car, "You were shaking in your sleep earlier."

"Can you tell me where the kids went?" Kotori was now panicking.

"Chased after a butterfly but they did wanted to give you this." The turtle handed her a piece of paper. It was a drawing done in crayon and despite the childish skill, Kotori could tell that it was the four children done in brown and herself was done in green.

"At least they're in a better place." Kotori sighed in relief.

"You surprised me lass, no one calls for the train from the Dollhouse." The turtle said, "Though it keeps me busy, Alice already called the train for herself and a lad today."

"Lad?" This caught Kotori's attention, "Was he about my height and age? Red and black hair?"

"Yes…that sounds like him." The turtle responded rather confused.

_So Yuma is here after all…and he's with Alice?_ Kotori thought_, I don't think he realizes that this is Alice in Wonderland…a very twisted version though…. _"Do you know where they went?" She asked.

The turtle paused in though, "Went to the Oriental Grove, could take you there if you want."

Kotori nodded, "Yes please!"

"Certainly miss, it is my duty as stationmaster after all to take all passengers to their destinations." The turtle gave a salute then went to the engine. The train started up again as they pulled away from the station.

Kotori leaned back into her seat. _I wonder how Yuma's doing._

….

"OWOWOWOWOWOW! Let go already!"

Alice tugged on Yuma's ear harder, "I cannot believe your lack of manners!"

"I was hungry! And I smelt something good!"

"But you do not burst into someone's home demanding food!" Alice scolded.

"I haven't eaten a thing since I got here! Just one bite? Yuma pleaded.

"I would advise against, these are ants after all." Alice pointed out.

Yuma just gave her blank look.

"It means what they are cooking might not be fit for human consumption."

It clicked for Yuma, "Oooohhhh….So what do you eat around here?"

Alice had to resist rubbing her temples again, "Tarts….and tea mostly."

Yuma cocked an eyebrow, "You've lived on tea and tarts this whole time?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "Never really developed a taste for anything else…plus that's all the residents here seem to know how to make."

"You're missing out! There duel rice, chicken dumplings, smoked salmon, pizza…" Yuma continued to list of foods, some of which Alice was unfamiliar with. "Is food all you think about Yuma?"

"Not all the time! Okay maybe most of the time…I get hungry a lot…" He admitted.

"Perhaps we'll get some food later but first these wasps need to be dealt with."

Yuma looked around at the origami ants, "Why are wasps attacking here?"

"Sometimes it's over treasure, other times it's over land….but usually it's because the wasps are predators…and the ants are their prey." Alice said.

Yuma bit his lip and tightened his grip on the croquette mallet, he wasn't one for standing by when others need help.

"There is an ability you can use with that mallet." Alice's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"There is?"

"Let me show you…." Alice took the mallet from Yuma and focused. A small ball appeared in front of the head sparking with electricity.

"How does that even work?"

"You shouldn't ask too many questions," Alice scolded. Giving the mallet a good swing, she knocked the ball into a tablet that was leaking ink shattering it.

"Careful, they tend to bounce if they don't hit a target." Alice tossed the mallet back to Yuma. "Now get ready…we've got company."

Yuma looked up to see what she was referring to. Several large wasps were flying towards them wearing yellow robes and oni masks all wielding a katana. "Any advice?"

"Knock them out or stun them, they're easy prey after that." Alice charged forward, confusing Yuma for a bit when she turned into a cloud of butterflies and when she reformed, she was wielding a large wooden horse head in a stick. She used it like a club knocking one wasp several feet back before the Hobby Horse disappeared from her hand, the Vorpel Blade taking its place stabbing the wasp several times in the face and chest. Turning to face the others, Alice summoned her Pepper Grinder firing several shots stunning her targets before going in for the kill.

Yuma was shocked at both Alice's brutality and the unusual weaponry she was using. The wasps were backing off a bit waiting for an opening or trying not to get killed. Two of them seemed to get board of this and noticed Yuma standing off to the side and charged towards him.

Why can't everything be solved with a duel?

Yuma dodged their sword swipes and jumped back to gain some distance. Using the technique Alice showed him, he created two balls swinging them into the faces. They fell to the ground twitching with electricity.

"Finish them off!" He heard Alice call out.

They wasps were recovering and getting back up. Yuma grabbed the card deck and tossed several cards nicking their legs but a few sunk into their throats. "I didn't aim there."

"Be glad that you did, these are big pests." Yuma nearly jumped when he felt Alice behind him. "And the big one is coming."

A larger wasp wearing black samurai armor and a yellow sashimono tied to its back was slowly landing in front of them. Unlike its smaller breather, the one wielded a naginata that Yuma was certain was twice as tall as he was. "What's the plan Alice?"

"We hit it till it dies…." Alice said rather coolly was she willed the Teapot Cannon out.

"Is that a giant tea pot?"

"Do you always state the obvious? Because if you keep doing so I will aim this at you."

"Shutting up now…"

Content that Yuma wasn't going to question anything else, Alice fired two shots at the Daimyo Wasp allowing the heat of the tea to affect it then switching to the Pepper Grinder to start knocking off the armor. "You can join in anytime Yuma."

Yuma suppressed the urge to make a comment back but starting to swing more lightening balls smacking into the Daimyo Wasp cracking the armor. It seemed really annoyed by this as it charged with its naginata aimed at them. Yuma felt funny as the scenery zoomed by him and when he regained his bearings, he was standing ten feet from where he was and the wasp was trying to pull its weapon out of the ground.

"So I can do it with a passenger." It was at this point that Yuma realize that Alice had a death grip on his arm.

"What just happened?"

Alice ignored him and charged the Daimyo Wasp again only for it to pull out the naginata. Alice managed to parry it with the Vorpel Blade in time but the wasp seemed uninterested in her now as it charged for Yuma. She was about to give chase only see two more Samurai Wasps block her path, "Look out!"

Alice's warning came just in time for Yuma to bring up the croquette mallet to block the blow but was now caught in a power struggle against a wasp twice his size. He felt his muscles straining trying to keep the blade away from his head. The wasp seemed to enjoy this as it leaned its masked face in closer.

"A little out of your element boy?"

Yuma blinked, did it just talk? Alice heard it too after dispatching the two wasps that crossed her path. _The wasps never talked…_she thought to herself_…why are they talking now? And to him?_

The wasp pressed harder forcing Yuma to once knee trying to brace himself, "A kid like you in a place like this? Don't make me laugh."

Yuma felt sweat drip down his face. That voice sounded familiar somehow. But he couldn't place his finger on it. Then again he was currently trying not to get killed.

The wasp shoved on Yuma's weapon knocking the boy onto his back and raised the naginata to strike the final blow. Yuma winced and raised the mallet again hoping the catch the blow, only for it to never come. Looking back up, Yuma could see the Daimyo Wasp stagger for a bit before falling to the ground, revealing Alice on its back with the Vorpel Blade imbedded to the handle in the back of the neck.

Extracting the blade, she offered a hand to Yuma, "Are you alright?"

"Y-yeah…." Yuma took the hand and stood back up, "Tougher than I expected."

"You will get used to it." Alice heard the beating of wings and looked over head, "Looks like Caterpillar has returned, shall we go see him now?"

"But isn't that a butterfly?"

Yuma's face hit the dirt as Alice smacked his head with the blunt edge of the Vorpel Blade. "Stop questioning things."


	11. Caterpillar and Derailment

Yuma rubbed the spot where Alice had smacked him, "Is violence your answer to everything?"

Alice ignored him as she continued to lead him towards Caterpillar's sanctuary. Her head was hurting enough having to explain why Caterpillar was still called Caterpillar despite being a butterfly now. He did eventually get the point but it was still aggravating her. She sincerely hoped that Caterpillar would have the answers they were looking for and not be sent on a ridiculous quest to find answers. She was tired of those after her two trips through Wonderland to regain her sanity. Speaking of her sanity…the talking wasps were still on her mind. Granted it was a minor change but it was nagging at her brain for some reason.

_I can ask Caterpillar later about it…now we just need to find Yuma's friend so I can send them home. Then I'll see if their presence changed Wonderland at all._

She rang the bell that rested outside of Caterpillar's sanctuary opening the stone door revealing the slide, also known as the safer way to enter. Alice didn't think Yuma would appreciate being dropped fifty feet inside with no real means of landing. Though the mental image of Yuma in a dress was rather funny.

Yuma let out a whistle, "Just like the ruins my dad and I used to explore."

Alice felt a small twinge of pain in her chest when Yuma mentioned his father, but passed it off, "Remember to be polite and…" Yuma dove head first into the tunnel yelling Kattobingu all the way. "Can you just sit and listen!?"

Yuma whooped as he slipped down the slide. He heard Alice yelling something from behind him but he really didn't care. He was having too much fun. He saw a dim light at the end and leapt off before landing, looking up realizing how big the caterpillar…er butterfly…thing was. He was nearly as tall as the cavern he was in with a green body, white hair that formed a furry collar around the neck and a long thin beard. The most striking about him was the massive wings in red, white, and black forming a face. Caterpillar sat rather complacent on his rock smoking his hookah observing the newcomer, "Interesting guest we have Alice."

"Interesting indeed," Alice said as she landed giving a glare to Yuma, "We were hoping you would know where his friend is and who brought them to Wonderland as you know as well as I do that it wasn't me."

"Everything here that happens does connect to you in a way I remind you Alice," Caterpillar took another puff, "And outsiders to Wonderland aren't to be taken lightly."

"But I'm not here to cause trouble! I just want to find Kotori!" Yuma protested.

Caterpillar's expression remained unchained, "All who enter Wonderland make their mark somehow, some more than others."

Alice mussed over that, could that be referring to the talking wasps?

Yuma on the other hand was becoming impatient, "Do you know where Kotori is or what?!"

Caterpillar blew out a cloud of smoke, "The Red Queen has taken an interest in your friend. She was the one responsible for your arrival."

Alice's eye widened at this, "What…is…she…doing?"

"You should know that better than anyone Alice."

"Red Queen? Who is that? What does she want with Kotori!?" Yuma demanded.

Caterpillar took another puff, "Fear not, your friend as escaped the clutches of the queen. But she is not out of danger for the queen will continue to seek for her."

"I will cut her tentacles before she can grow them again…." Alice clenched her fists.

Yuma shivered and rubbed his arm which once sported a nasty bruise, he had nasty experiences with tentacles.

"Seek out your friend Yuma but take great care for Wonderland will grow and adapt to the both of you. And you will face things that you would rather not see or admit."

Yuma stared at Caterpillar in surprise, his name had never come up in the conversation. And what did he mean by things he would rather not see or admit?

Alice had a different question in mind, "What is Wonderland changing for them? Am I not its ruler?

"You are one of the two," Caterpillar said with a tone of voice that sounded like he was correcting her, "The Red Queen has accepted Kotori, you've accepted Yuma by touching the key, it does hold a mysterious power after all."

"Key?" Alice question but looked at Yuma's pendant, he had called it a key at one point. She cursed at herself for a bit, she had rather casually picked it up back at Hatter's place. How was she supposed to know that is contained power?

"It's time for you to regain your normal size. And Alice," Caterpillar's gaze focused on her, "It might be time to accept the outside again." He took a deep breath from the hookah and covered the two in smoke.

"Wait!" Yuma coughed having breathed it in again, "Where's Kotori right now!?"

There was no answer for when the smoked cleared, Yuma found himself staring at the miniature mountain again. He felt Alice place a hand on his shoulder as if in comfort but then forcibly spun her around seeing her angry face.

"Listen closely…" Yuma was worried that she was about to scold him, "If you are really changing Wonderland then know this…be open."

Yuma stared at her in confusion as her expression soften a bit.

"This world has forced me to face parts of me that I ran away from twice, things that I turned a blind eye too. And if that's happening to you, those aspects will come after with lethal force. The more you reject them, the stronger they become."

Yuma gulped, "What sort of things."

"Everything here is based on something I knew in the real world or based on my emotions. In fact it should be getting stormy soon due to my stress." Alice said.

"So…does that mean I could meet alternate versions of my friends?" Yuma asked.

"More like characters based on your friends."

"And the monsters we've been facing?"

Alice sighed, "People that I hated and negative emotions."

"So….who's the Red Queen?" Yuma just had to ask that question.

"Someone who's should be dead by now….I'll just have to speed up the process." Alice started walking back to the train station, "The Red Queen resides in Queensland, if we search the surrounding area we'll find your friend. We'll find her then I can send you two home, after that I'll deal with the Red Queen myself."

"Hold on…I want to help!" Yuma protested.

"No! I've dealt with her once already…I can do it again!" Alice shot him down.

"But I want to help."

"And why is that?"

"Because you're my friend Alice."

Alice froze, "How can you say something like that?"

"Well….you helped me out…and we fought together…so that makes us friends!" Yuma said with a stupid grin.

Alice just stood there eyes wide and mouth open, "Are you that naïve?"

"What does that mean?"

_Add uneducated to that…_Alice thought.

The wind picked up bringing in a storm as Alice just stood there trying to figure out what to say to Yuma to dissuade him from staying. But it brought a smell all too familiar to Alice…smoke.

"You okay?" Yuma asked upon seeing her shocked face.

"Fire…." She breathed. Franticly she searched for the source seeing an orange glow further down the train tracks from the station. She bolted going so fast that she turned into butterflies to cover more ground.

"Wait up!" Yuma gave chase. He really wanted to know how she pulled that trick off and he was also worried about what had gotten her worked up so bad.

….

Kotori watched the scenery as the trained rolled on polishing the Blunderbuss with her apron. For her sanity's sake she hoped that she would see at least one landmark from the _Alice in Wonderland_ books. Running through unfamiliar territory was starting to wear her down. Though she wondered how the Mock Turtle got to working with trains.

SCHHHRRRREEEEEEEE!

The train shook violently as the breaks locked knocking Kotori off of her seat. Gathering her weapons she peered out the window trying to make sense of what was going on.

"What an earth?!"

The train had come to a stop on a bridge over a river. Blocking its path were several, large, fleshy, tentacles wrapped around the bridge structure with such a force that the wood was starting to break. Kotori immediately started running through the carriages hoping to escape through the caboose. If the bridge did give out, she did not want to be trapped inside the carriage. The car shook again as the sound of crunching metal got closer. Kotori kept running for the carriage door but a tentacle pierced through the wall blocking her path. More tentacles were wrapping around the carriage with such force Kotori was seeing their indentations in the metal roof. The tendrils started rocking the carriage side to side as to dislodge it from the tracks. Kotori gripped a rail trying to keep her balance using the ice wand on the tentacle that had gone through the carriage while it did freeze the flesh, it refused to let go of the car.

The tentacles curled up on themselves removing the train car from the tracks and sank down into the river, taking most of the train and most of the bridge down with them. As well as Kotori still trapped inside the train car.


	12. Underwater Battles and Reunions

Kotori had taken a breath and held it as the car filled with water but instead she watched in wonder as the moment her dress had touched water, it had changed again. Shoes and socks had disappeared completely while the skirt had white ruffles in tiers and what appeared to be a jellyfish membrane with dark spines over that. Fish scales that started in a pale green and faded into pink covered her stomach and chest. Dark green decorative fins were wrapped around her waist and also formed a caplet that draped over her shoulders were the last thing to change. Noting that this outfit had granted her the ability to breathe underwater, Kotori took quick note of what the tentacles were doing right now. They hadn't lightened their grip at all and seemed to be dragging the train car somewhere. Though Kotori couldn't see the source of the tentacles and frankly, she really didn't want to know.

"I just have to get out of here without getting crushed to death…" Kotori looked around to see if there was an opening that maybe she could squeeze through. All the tentacles had each window partially covered so getting out of there undetected was a no go.

"What else I've got…got a freezing wand and a gun…that leaves very big holes behind…." An idea crossed Kotori's mind. It was crazy but…this was Wonderland after all. She raised the Blunderbuss and aimed, "Yuma, if you seeing this somehow…don't try this at home."

The blast of the Blunderbuss ripped a hole in the side of the train car and through a few tentacles. Kotori swam out of the hole as fast as she could before the tentacles could cover the hole. She kept going getting far away from the train remains as possible.

….

Alice looked over the remains of the train bridge. A huge chunk was missing and train cars were smashed and the engine on fire. Mock Turtle was sitting by the edge of the canyon crying over the remains. "What happened Mock Turtle?"

Mock Turtle whipped his tears, "She….she attacked! She ruined my train!"

Yuma ran up panting and out of breath, "Wh-why….train…" He paused to catch his breath, "Why was the train attacked?"

Mock Turtle burst into another fit of tears, "I'm a failure! I had one passenger and she pulled her into the Deluded Depths below!"

"Make sense!" Alice scolded, "Who was on board? Who attacked?"

"A young lass with green hair….Oh the poor thing!" He howled, "The Red Queen has taken her into the river!"

"Green hair…Kotori!" Yuma yelled and leapt off the edge of the cliff into the river below.

"Do you ever think things through?!" Alice called after him jumping after him.

Yuma didn't care as he hit water, his clothes changing to their aquatic appearance, "Kotori! Kotori where are you!" There were train and bridge bits everywhere but no sign of her.

"YUMA!" Alice swam down to him her dress changing accordingly to the environment, "What were you thinking!? What if the Red Queen was still here?"

"I would fight her off and get Kotori back!"

"With that?" Alice pointed to the croquette mallet, "That would be a mosquito bite to her."

"So what would work?" Yuma asked.

"This…." Alice held out her hand and summoned a new weapon, one that Yuma didn't recognize. It was a staff made of crocked wood that curved into a hook at one end and in that hook was a yellow eyeball.

"What is that?"

"The Jabberwock's Eye staff. One of the two weapons capable to deal enough damage to the Red Queen." Said Alice, "Used this on her before and looks like I'll have to do it again."

"So where is she then?" Yuma looked around looking for a sign for anything.

"Must have retreated her tentacles back to her main body….possibly with your friend."

"Not if I can help it…" Yuma started swimming down the riverbed following the train of debris. "Alice! You need to see this!"

Alice swam over to talk a look, it was a single train car that was semi-crushed but there was a large hole blasted into the side. There were also some chunks of flesh that Alice was sure belonged to the Red Queen that were scattered about.

"Kotori!" Yuma jumped into the hole and searched the train car, "There's nothing in here…."

Alice prodded one of the flesh chunks with the end of the Eye Staff. There was only one other weapon that she knew of that could of created this kind of damage…

"I think she got out…" Yuma climbed back out of the train car, "But how did Kotori make this hole?"

"She might of picked up some of my old toys like you have…Cheshire's right….I really shouldn't leave them lying around." Alice muttered to herself.

Yuma just sighed and looked off into the depths, this was the first clue he had to where Kotori was but it didn't leave any good news.

"The car was being dragged in that direction…." Alice looked over the scene, "So the most possible path your friend could have taken to get out of the way…." Alice looked down the ravine, "Is the Lost Souls Locker."

"Is it…haunted?" Yuma asked.

"Unfortunately yes….let's hurry. If the Red Queen don't get your friend first…the ghosts will."

….

Kotori shivered and hugged her weapons closer to her. After out swimming the searching tentacles she had ended up in a rather dreary area made out of the ruins of sunken ships. It was really giving her the willies. Just hearing a slight creak was enough to make her jump.

"You think hanging around Vector long enough you would get used to this stuff…." Kotori muttered to herself.

Some falling debris caused her to jump and spin around in fright. Still hearing her heartbeat in her ears she tried to calm herself down when she noticed something. It was very subtle, but it looked like there were small isolated currents flowing in the water. Kotori squinted her eyes trying to make out what she was seeing. _Please let it not be an invisible monster…or a ghost…please don't let it be a ghost._

Her answer came in an exploding fireball that landed in front of her. Kotori screamed in pain as she felt the heat of the flames on her arms and stumbled back trying to keep her distance from the fire. Her assailant still remained unseen but another fireball was flying but Kotori countered it with the Ice Wand. A whistle alerted her to something behind her and turned in time to dodge another fireball. Recovering from the shock, she could see several ghostly apparitions flickering in and out of existence approaching her. They looked human, but shriveled with death and very angry. Screaming, Kotori fired the Blunderbuss several times but it only phased through the ghosts and riled them up even more. Several dived into the ground sending Kotori into hysterics as to where they went.

_Where'd they go?!_ Kotori pointed the Blunderbuss in random directions, _Why did it have to be ghosts? How do you even fight ghosts!?_

The ghosts suddenly emerged from the ground underneath her with a mighty uppercut that sent Kotori flying. Hitting the ground hard, Kotori was sure she heard something snap inside her. The ghosts where approaching her readying their fire bombs. Kotori could only close her eyes and cry out, "YUMA!"

She felt the heat from the blast, but not the pain of it. When she opened her eyes, there were two figures in front of her. There was a woman holding was appeared to be a parasol that had shielded them from the blast dressed in an aquatic themed dress similar to Kotori's. However, the one now holding her was much more familiar.

"Are you okay Kotori?"

Kotori blinked a few tears back, Yuma did end up here after all. "Okay? Do I look okay!? Do you know what I've been through today?!"

Yuma pouted, "Can be worse than I've seen."

"I shot a giant doll monster!"

"I nearly got eaten by a giant wasp and a fish!"

"Can you two put off your lover's spat till later?" The woman asked the two of them causing them to turn beat red.

"We're just friends Alice!" Yuma shouted back.

_Alice? Did he just call her Alice?_ Kotori wondered looking the woman over again, _Is that the real Alice?_

Alice looked over the approaching ghosts with a look of boredom, "I thought I put you all to rest…unless Carpenter is up to his old tricks again. No matter…I'll do it again." She whipped out the Pepper Grinder and fired at the visible ghosts stunning them before dashing at them cutting them to ribbons.

Kotori watched in awe and fear. This was not the same young Alice described in the books. This one seemed ruthless and cold.

"Yuma, take your friend and get out of here. I'll find you later." Alice said.

"You sure?" Yuma asked.

"I'll be fine…I promise."

Yuma nodded, "Okay, come on Kotori." He helped her up careful of her burns sliding her weapons into his sash to secure them. "See you later Alice." He called back and he led the two of them off.

Alice turned back to the ghosts, "Now…" she said as the water churned around her, "Who's first?"


End file.
